Kenneth York Hodsdon

Kenneth York Hodsdon was born on February 25, 1925, in Gray, Maine, and died in Bangor on April 7 of this year at the age of 100. Ken was the son of Joseph Y. and Elva (Polland) Hodsdon.

Ken always had a keen interest in the natural world and the fields and forests of Maine. He enrolled in the School of Forestry at the University of Maine, and graduated in the class of 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry. His working career saw him employed as a logger, papermaker, forester, and in administrative and executive positions in the forest products industry in Oregon, Maine, and New Brunswick. He retired from Great Northern Nekoosa Corporation in 1990, after serving as the general manager of Great Northern's Pinkham Lumber operation in Ashland, Maine. He was fond of pointing out that he was born in a sawmill logging camp and that it was fitting that he would finish out his career working in the sawmilling business.

He was a member of the scholastic honor society Xi Sigma Pi, as well as a member of the Society of American Foresters. He was a licensed Professional Forester and a registered land surveyor. Ken was involved in many trade associations and was an active participant in the early Maine Forest Forums. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a member of American Legion Post 100 in Dixfield, Maine. After his retirement, he served his local Portage Lake, Maine, community as a member of the planning board, director of the Portage Lake Association and volunteer Lake Monitor.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Evelyn (Sawyer) Hodsdon; his sisters, Josephine Hamel, Phyllis Prue, and Janice Hall; son, Mark Hodsdon; granddaughter, Jessica Hodsdon; and great-granddaughter, Emerson Jean Hodsdon. Ken is survived by his wife, Marilyn Brown Hodsdon of Bangor; his sister, Jacqueline Oldham, of Peru, Maine; son, Stephen Hodsdon and wife, Lisa, of Kennebunk; son, Michael Hodsdon and wife, Mary Ruoff, of Belfast; daughter, Marie Johnson and husband, Ken, of Hermon; and daughter, Melissa White and husband, Andy, of Bangor. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Erica Lambert, Laura Gray, Emma Caughey, Andrew Hodsdon, Allison Hodsdon, Peter White, Joseph White, and Dmitry Hodsdon; along with twelve great-grandchildren, Kendall Yoder, Ethan Lambert, Hattie Lambert, Thaddeus Lambert, Paulina Rosibel Hodsdon, Madeleine York Hodsdon, and Harrison Walter Hodsdon, Violet Gray, Eli Gray, Calla Gray, Killian Caughey and one soon to arrive great-great-granddaughter, (Kendall's new baby); and many cousins, nieces and nephews, and their families. Ken loved his Lord, Jesus Christ and is now at home with Him for eternity.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Pilgrim Church, 375 Mt. Hope Ave., Bangor. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.